Radio Canelones Promotes Reading Skills

The “Moñas en Ronda” program reaches out to rural and disadvantaged grade schoolers

By Jorge Basilago, Feb 14, 2018

Children from Public School No. 33 in Canelones participate in the “Moñas en Ronda” program.Credit: Intendencia de Canelones

CANELONES, Uruguay — Private broadcaster Radio Canelones launched the program “Moñas en Ronda,” (“Bow Ties in a Circle”) in September to help improve reading comprehension among disadvantaged primary school students from rural and urban areas.

The program features interviews and reports on various educative subjects, such as cooperative businesses, rural labor and healthcare three times a day. It also broadcasts readings of Latin-American literature every hour, with all content presented by students.

According to Adriana Luvizio, director of Radio Canelones, the “older” participants from 4th to 6th grades, manage the interviews and reports, while the younger students read the poems and short stories. Teachers select the texts, which must correspond to each level’s curriculum and preferably be written by Latin-American authors.

The Moñas en Ronda project — sporting a name that calls attention to the blue tie worn by the country’s public primary school students — also highlights the work of the country’s public schools.

“Radio allows us to broadcast this essential information to improve childrens’ quality of life,” said Luvizio. “Our objective is for 250 schools to participate by the beginning of 2018, and to reach 850 schools nationwide by 2019.”

Several institutions including the Organización de los Estados Iberoamericanos para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura (Ibero-American States Organization for the Education, Science and Culture), the Uruguayan Ministerio de Educación y Cultura (Department of Education and Culture) and Administración Nacional de Educación Pública (National Administration of Public Education) are backing the program both logistically and financially to ensure Radio Canelones is able to continue producing programs.

In addition, Uruguay’s national public broadcaster, Radiodifusión Nacional del Uruguay, rebroadcasts the programs on all its affiliated stations.

“We believe all children should have access to education and want to help develop these activities in every corner of our country,” concluded Luvizio.“We believe all children should have access to education and want to help develop these activities in every corner of our country,” concluded Luvizio.